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Material Planner, Ingredients

Suffolk, VA

LIPTON Teas and Infusions is the world’s largest tea business, home to much‑loved brands including Lipton, PG Tips, Pukka, TAZO, and Red Rose. Every day, our teas are part of moments that matter, from quiet pauses to shared rituals.

We’re united by one purpose: to craft great teas for every occasion, bringing joy and inspiring a healthier lifestyle. Guided by the power of plants and a deep understanding of our consumers, we create teas that fit real lives, tastes, and traditions around the world.

At Lipton Teas and Infusions, people come first. We foster an environment built on ownership, passion for excellence, and consumer and customer centricity — where diverse perspectives are valued, ideas are encouraged, and people are supported to grow and thrive.

Be part of this amazing blend. Join us and help craft great teas — and a healthier, happier world.

Job Title: Material Planner

Job Status: Full-time, permanent

Work location: Suffolk, VA; onsite

 

Your Role

 

As the Material Planner – Ingredients, you will manage raw material requirements for Lipton’s Suffolk, VA manufacturing site. You will partner closely with suppliers, procurement, supply planning, factory planning, Research & Innovation (R&I), quality, and production teams to ensure timely and cost-effective availability of ingredients to support production needs.

You will own material ordering and inventory strategies, provide visibility into demand and requirement changes, and help the business balance service, cost, and inventory risk. This role is critical to ensuring uninterrupted production while driving continuous improvement in material planning processes.

 

Your Key Responsibilities:

 

  • Plan and manage raw material requirements and purchase orders for ingredients
  • Develop and maintain effective raw material inventory strategies
  • Ensure material availability to support upcoming production schedules
  • Analyze demand fluctuations and provide insights to support proactive business decisions
  • Make strategic decisions related to minimum order quantities and safety stock, balancing inventory cost, service level, and warehouse constraints
  • Coordinate urgent inbound deliveries to support production needs
  • Identify and manage slow-moving or obsolete inventory, including run-out strategies
  • Partner with Research & Innovation to update Bills of Materials (BOMs) for material transitions or obsolescence
  • Generate and maintain accurate Bills of Materials and communicate changes to Quality and Production teams
  • Support inventory counts and reconciliation activities as needed

 

 

Skills and Experience:

 

  • Experience in material planning, supply chain planning, or production operations within a manufacturing environment
  • Strong understanding of MRP/MPS concepts, inventory management, and supply-demand balancing
  • Proven ability to analyze demand variability, lead times, and inventory drivers to make data-driven planning decisions
  • Experience partnering with suppliers and procurement to manage service levels, constraints, and supply risk
  • Ability to manage material transitions, substitutions, and obsolescence with minimal production disruption
  • Strong organizational and prioritization skills with the ability to manage multiple, competing priorities
  • Clear and effective communication skills; able to translate planning impacts to cross-functional stakeholders
  • Continuous improvement mindset with experience identifying and implementing process improvements
  • Agile, adaptable, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, dynamic manufacturing environment
  • Advanced proficiency in Excel (pivot tables, lookups, data analysis) and comfort working with large data sets
  • Experience with SAP S/4HANA or similar production ERP systems preferred
  • Experience with SAP EWM (Extended Warehouse Management) preferred

 

Benefits & Perks 

  • Comprehensive insurance plans - health, dental + disability and life Insurance
  • 401(k) with 5% company matching + an extra 4% after your first year
  • Generous time off including 20 days flexible PTO that increases with tenure and company holidays
  • Parental Leave - Primary & Secondary

LIPTON Teas and Infusions is an organization committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. We are interested in every individual bringing their whole self to work and this includes you! Therefore if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.

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